Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 â€" June 29, 2002) was an American
singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the
song "Come On-a My House", which was followed by other pop numbers
such as "Botch-a-Me", "Mambo Italiano", "Tenderly", "Half as Much",
"Hey There" and "This Ole House". She also had success as a jazz
vocalist. Clooney's career languished in the 1960s, partly due to
problems related to depression and drug addiction, but revived in
1977, when her White Christmas co-star Bing Crosby asked her to appear
with him at a show marking his 50th anniversary in show business. She
continued recording until her death in 2002.Rosemary Clooney was born
in Maysville, Kentucky, the daughter of Marie Frances (née Guilfoyle)
and Andrew Joseph Clooney. She was one of five children. Her father
was of Irish and German descent and her mother was of English and
Irish ancestry. She was raised Catholic. When Clooney was 15, her
mother and brother Nick moved to California. She and her sister Betty
remained with their father. The family resided in the John Brett
Richeson House in the late 1940s.Rosemary and Betty became
entertainers, whereas Nick became a newsman and television broadcaster
(some of her children, including Miguel Ferrer and Rafael Ferrer, and
her nephew, George Clooney, also became respected actors and
entertainers). In 1945, the Clooney sisters won a spot on Cincinnati,
Ohio's radio station WLW as singers. Her sister Betty sang in a duo
with Rosemary for much of the latter's early career.
singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the
song "Come On-a My House", which was followed by other pop numbers
such as "Botch-a-Me", "Mambo Italiano", "Tenderly", "Half as Much",
"Hey There" and "This Ole House". She also had success as a jazz
vocalist. Clooney's career languished in the 1960s, partly due to
problems related to depression and drug addiction, but revived in
1977, when her White Christmas co-star Bing Crosby asked her to appear
with him at a show marking his 50th anniversary in show business. She
continued recording until her death in 2002.Rosemary Clooney was born
in Maysville, Kentucky, the daughter of Marie Frances (née Guilfoyle)
and Andrew Joseph Clooney. She was one of five children. Her father
was of Irish and German descent and her mother was of English and
Irish ancestry. She was raised Catholic. When Clooney was 15, her
mother and brother Nick moved to California. She and her sister Betty
remained with their father. The family resided in the John Brett
Richeson House in the late 1940s.Rosemary and Betty became
entertainers, whereas Nick became a newsman and television broadcaster
(some of her children, including Miguel Ferrer and Rafael Ferrer, and
her nephew, George Clooney, also became respected actors and
entertainers). In 1945, the Clooney sisters won a spot on Cincinnati,
Ohio's radio station WLW as singers. Her sister Betty sang in a duo
with Rosemary for much of the latter's early career.
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